celibe
/ˈt͡ʃɛ.li.be/masculine
The English word unmarried is translated into Italian as celibe. Wiktionary also lists nubile.
Meaning: having no husband or wife (adj)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| celibe | /ˈt͡ʃɛ.li.be/ | masculine |
| nubile | /ˈnu.bi.le/ | feminine |
The term is an adjective used to describe someone who is not currently in a marriage.
Which one should you use?
The masculine form celibe refers to an unmarried man. The feminine form nubile refers to an unmarried woman.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Both celibe and nubile are formal terms. Nubile specifically carries a formal or literary tone and is often used to describe a woman of marriageable age. For more standard formal situations, you may also use the masculine non sposato or the feminine non sposata.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the masculine form celibe when describing an unmarried man. Use the feminine form nubile when describing an unmarried woman.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the first syllable: /ˈtʃɛ.li.be/.
Did you know?
- In Italian, the concept of 'single' is often expressed as single, borrowing the English word for dating and social status to avoid the stiff formality of celibe and nubile.
- The word celibe is the direct root of the English word 'celibacy'. While 'unmarried' is a general status, celibe carries a stronger historical connotation of a lifelong vow or choice to remain single.
- While celibe and nubile are used in formal documents, the word nubile is almost never used in casual conversation today. Using it in a social setting can sound outdated or like a line from a 19th-century novel.
Examples in context
- Tom è celibe, vero?Tom is unmarried, isn't he?This sentence uses celibe to confirm a person's marital status.Tatoeba #6922288 by Guybrush88, translation #6899028 by CK
- Perché è ancora celibe?Why are you still unmarried?This sentence uses celibe to ask why someone is still unmarried.Tatoeba #8422318 by Guybrush88, translation #6439026 by CK
- È celibe.He is unmarried.This sentence uses celibe to state that a man is unmarried.Tatoeba #1300663 by maldidenti, translation #295891 by CK
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Lorenzo are talking about a mutual friend.
- ChiaraMarco si è finalmente sposato?Did Marco finally get married?
- LorenzoNo, Marco è ancora celibe.No, Marco is still unmarried.
- ChiaraDavvero? Non me lo aspettavo.Really? I didn't expect that.
- LorenzoSì, preferisce restare celibe per ora.Yes, he prefers to stay unmarried for now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “unmarried” translations and entries celibe, nubile, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries celibe, nubile, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
